The Government have announced that in recognition of their ongoing support amidst the rising cost-of-living, all sponsors who are hosting Ukrainian refugees will receive an increased ‘thank you’ payment of £500 a month for guests who have been in the country for over a year.
‘Thank you’ payments will also be extended from 12 months to 2 years, so that guests who may not yet be ready to move into independent accommodation can stay in sponsorship for longer where sponsors are willing to extend arrangements.
In cases where sponsorships can no longer continue, councils in all parts of the UK will receive help to house Ukrainians through a one-off pot of government funding worth £150 million, as well as a new £500 million Local Authority Housing Fund in England. Local authorities are best placed to understand the support needed for local communities and, as is typically the case for various local authority funding, they will also be able to use this £150 million of funding to support other people at risk of homelessness.
Michael Tomlinson said:
We have many Ukrainian families staying her in Mid Dorset and North Poole, and it was an honour to meet some of them in the summer with Cllr Sean Gabriel. I am delighted that further support is being put in place for the hosts of these families, in addition to the extra support offered by BCP and Dorset councils.
The housing £500 million fund will be reserved for councils in England to obtain housing for those fleeing conflicts (including in Ukraine and Afghanistan) and is expected to provide up to 4,000 homes by 2024, reducing the impact of new arrivals on existing housing pressures and eventually providing a new and permanent supply of accommodation for local communities.
